Study Questions

1

The theory of evolution had been around
long before Darwin's Origin of Species? What
new elements made the Origin of species so important,
and why?

Theories of evolution before Darwin, such
as those of his grandfather Erasmus Darwin, did not explain how
species could evolve without help from an outside guiding force,
such as a botanist who killed specific kinds of flowers or a dog
breeder who bred for a specific trait. Darwin proposed natural
selection. Natural selection is the pressure for species with advantageous
traits to survive while those with less advantageous traits died.
Darwin said that natural selection explained evolution. The
Origin of Species was also important because it was the
first time that a strong body of evidence, taken from a wide range
of species and environments, had been assembled in support of evolution.

2

Why were the Galapagos Islands important
to the formation of Darwin's theory of evolution?

The Galapagos Islands were important to the
formation of Darwin's theory of evolution because they showed that
species in isolation tended to evolve in ways that suited their
environments. Although Darwin did not immediately comprehend the
importance of the different varieties of tortoises and finches that
he observed in the island, he later saw that the differences in
finch's beaks demonstrated the ability of evolution to fine tune
a species to fit the particular demands of an environment.

3

What impact did Darwin's health have
on his life and career?

The cause of Darwin's health problems has
remained a mystery. Some argue that he contracted a disease while
on the Beagle; others think that his physical
symptoms were the result of high levels of stress and emotional
repression. In any case, the effect of his illness was to isolate
him from society at Down House. He continued to see people, and
his correspondence was enormous, but he spent most of his time
alone or in the company of Emma. This solitude meant that he was
distant from the controversies and politics of science, and was
able to focus on his own theories and observations without the
pressures of academic fighting or the responsibilities of teaching
or mentoring. This isolation helped him develop his theory of evolution,
but it may also have helped delay the time at which he finally
announced it to the scientific community and the public.